Abstract: Performance of a semiconductor device is improved. In one embodiment, for example, deposition time is increased from 4.6 sec to 6.9 sec. In other words, in one embodiment, thickness of a tantalum nitride film is increased by increasing the deposition time. Specifically, in one embodiment, deposition time is increased such that a tantalum nitride film provided on the bottom of a connection hole to be coupled to a wide interconnection has a thickness within a range from 5 to 10 nm.

Abstract: A wiring pattern for oscillation input signal and a wiring pattern for oscillation output signal are provided on a printed circuit board, and a wiring pattern for ground power source voltage is arranged in a region therebetween. A quartz crystal unit is connected between the wiring pattern for oscillation input signal and the wiring pattern for oscillation output signal and one ends of capacitors serving as load capacitors thereof are connected to the wiring pattern for ground power source voltage. Further, a wiring pattern for VSS is arranged so as to enclose these wiring patterns, and a wiring pattern for VSS is arranged also in a lower layer in addition thereto. By this means, reduction of a parasitic capacitance between an XIN node and an XOUT node, improvement in noise tolerance of these nodes and others can be achieved.

Abstract: A P-channel MOS transistor MP1 is provided between an input voltage Vin and the low-voltage circuit. The cathode of a first zener diode Z1 is connected to a node between the input voltage Vin and the source of the P-channel MOS transistor MP1. The anode of the first zener diode Z1 is branched into two lines at a branch node N1, and one of the two lines is connected to a ground through a resistor R1. The other of the two lines is connected to the gate of the P-channel MOS transistor MP1. The cathode of a second zener diode Z2 is connected to a node between the low-voltage circuit and the drain of the P-channel MOS transistor MP1. The anode of the second zener diode Z2 is connected to a ground.